Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is suing the NFL and its teams — the New York Giants being one of three teams specifically named — for racist hiring practices and systemic discrimination.
As part of the lawsuit, Flores submitted a series of text exchanges between he and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. In them, Belichick confuses Flores for Brian Daboll and seems to indicated the Giants have chosen him for the job.
Belichick later realized who he was speaking with and informed Flores he heard the Giants were going with Daboll, who they did eventually hire.
Those text exchanges came days prior to Flores’ second interview with the organization, prompting him to add the Giants to a lengthy 58-page lawsuit.
Texts from Bill Belichick to Brian Flores, congratulating Brian for landing the #Giants job.
Belichick thought he was texting Brian Daboll. He was texting Flores by mistake. pic.twitter.com/Y686XcjYC3
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 1, 2022
While making the media rounds following the lawsuit filing, Flores took things a step further and told NPR that he believes Belichick not only knew the Giants were hiring Daboll, but also helped influence that decision.
“I think there are back channel conversations and back channel meetings that are had that oftentimes influence decisions,” Flores said during an appearance on The Limits podcast. “I think [the Giants hiring process] is a clear example of that. Bill Belichick is a clear example of that. His resume speaks to that. It was clear to me that decision was made with his influence. That’s part of the problem. That needs to change. There needs to be a fair and equal opportunity to interview and showcase your abilities to lead and earn one of those positions.”
On Thursday evening, the Giants emphatically denied such allegations.
The allegation that the Giants’ decision had been made prior to Friday evening, January 28, is false. And to base that allegation on a text exchange with Bill Belichick in which he ultimately states that he “thinks” Brian Daboll would get the job is irresponsible. The text exchange occurred the day before Coach Daboll’s in-person interview even took place. Giants’ ownership would never hire a head coach based only on a 20-minute zoom interview, which is all that Mr. Daboll had at that point.
In addition, Mr. Belichick does not speak for and has no affiliation with the Giants. Mr. Belichick’s text exchange provides no insight into what actually transpired during our head coaching search.
Executives and coaches being called for references on former employees it not unusual. It’s a practice carried out by every employer across the country and something that Flores undoubtedly benefitted from himself.
Considering Flores had only ever worked for Belichick previously, the Miami Dolphins almost assuredly reached out for Belichick for a reference prior to hiring Flores in 2019.
Flores added that Belichick was unaware their text exchange would be used in the lawsuit. The two have not spoken since.
Belichick has yet to release a comment or statement on Flores’ lawsuit, their text messages or the allegations that he helped directly influence the Giants’ decision to hire Daboll.
